


The Green (and Gold) Eyed Monster

by sinkburrito



Category: DCU (Comics), Justice League International (Comics), Justice League of America (Comics)
Genre: ? - Freeform, F/M, Jealousy, Kinda, M/M, Misunderstandings, No proofreading we die like mne, endgame boostle, mr brightside plays in the background through an omnipotent narrator (me), wonder woman in places she shouldnt be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 19:32:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13014651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinkburrito/pseuds/sinkburrito
Summary: Inspired somewhat by JLI #22 and #24Booster’s not jealous. He isn’t. It’s just that Beetle seems to be really into Wonder Woman. She’d never date him, though. And then he asks her out, and lo and behold, she says… yes?





	The Green (and Gold) Eyed Monster

**Author's Note:**

> sit down and buckle up for a rushed barely 3k fic in which i put wonder woman in places she shouldnt be because i love her  
> also did anyone else get that ted had a crush on her in jli 22 and 24??? it never came back up though....

“Hey Ted, wanna see how many times I can throw something at Guy without him noticing?” Booster Gold asked, elbowing Blue Beetle in the ribs. A Justice League “drive” wasn’t really that good of an idea, but it  _ was _ fun messing with Guy and having him think it was the Flash. He felt a little bad for Wally, but not enough to stop doing it. Booster raised his hand to throw a piece of food at Guy (Wally was eating again). 

 

“Um, sure,” Beetle replied, sounding far off. Booster stopped with his arm raised and Guy glaring at him. He turned to look at Beetle and chose to ignore the Lantern.

 

“Beetle, you okay?” Booster asked. Beetle was staring off across the room, lost in thought. Or something like that. Booster followed his gaze to… Wonder Woman. Of course. Everyone had a crush on Wonder Woman. Who didn’t? Booster did, well, kind of. It was more like a “Holy shit, she’s amazing!” thing than “I wish she would kiss me” sort of thing. 

 

“I’m gonna talk to her,” Beetle resolved.

 

Booster laughed. “Go get ‘em, tiger.” he said, playfully shoving Beetle toward her. He watched Beetle stumble towards Princess Diana and smothered a laugh. He couldn’t hear their conversation from across the room, but he could watch their actions. He knew just how it would play out. First, Beetle would say some horribly cliche pick-up line and Wonder Woman would laugh. Then, he would keep at it and she would let him down kindly and he would go back to Booster and he would laugh at him and then tell the story at future parties and embarrass him even more. It would be revenge for that one time he accidentally hit on the League’s liaison in Paris, back when they were just starting out. Beetle never let that one go. Finally, he’d have some ammo against it. 

 

Across the room, Beetle gestured with his hands and leaned in. Wonder Woman laughed, right on cue. Except she didn’t seem to be laughing  _ at _ Beetle, she seemed to be laughing  _ with _ him. Beetle seemed encouraged by this and brightened up, telling his jokes with more enthusiasm. Wonder Woman threw her head back and laughed. Beetle took this opportunity to sneak a glance back at Booster for support.    
  
Booster shot him a thumbs up and a smile, but it felt insincere. To be honest, he hadn’t expected it to go well. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Ted to get a date, except that it was. It wasn’t because he was jealous of  _ Ted…. _ he was jealous of Wonder Woman. He hated the jealousy he felt every time he saw Ted with someone else. Having feelings for his best friend probably wasn’t good for his health. 

 

Ted scratched the back of his neck bashfully and said something. Wonder Woman smiled and nodded. Beetle’s face lit up and Wonder Woman laughed. Beetle glanced back at Booster for a split second, as if to check if he was seeing this as well. Then the Khunds burst through the wall and Booster was soon distracted from the odd pairing.

  
  
  


They were on the couch in the New York headquarters when Beetle told him what he’d said to Wonder Woman. “Can you believe it, Booster? I asked out Wonder Woman, THE Wonder Woman, and she said yes!” he crowed. 

 

Booster burst out laughing. “Very funny, Beetle.” 

 

Beetle crossed his arms indignantly. “I did!”   
  
“Did she say she’d call you back after the alien invasion?” Booster teased. 

 

“Well- Yeah!” Beetle said, seeming a little less sure of himself.    
  
Booster pat him on the shoulder sympathetically. “It’s okay buddy. Wonder Woman probably doesn’t want to date anyone at the moment.” 

 

Beetle shoved the arm off. “She’ll call,” he  muttered. 

 

Booster held his arms up. “Sorry. Hey, let’s see what’s on the TV?” 

 

Beetle leaned up against Booster and switched on the TV. “Sure. Football?” 

 

Booster nodded, feeling Ted pressed up against him, warm and familiar. Ted was shorter than him, which meant that his head fit perfectly into Booster’s shoulder. Booster knew the shampoo brand Ted used like he knew his own heart. Wonder Woman didn’t have this. She didn’t know him like Booster did. But it  _ was _ Wonder Woman. She wasn’t going to call. She wasn’t. 

 

Things would stay like this forever. Wonder Woman would never call back and Ted would mope for a few days, then he and Booster would find something else to talk about. That’s how it went. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It was a cold December day and the League had just gotten back from fighting some super villain or another. Booster had been hit and Ted was stitching up his arm when the phone rang.    
  
“I’ll get it!” Fire called. A moment later, she stuck her head around the corner. “Beetle, it’s for you.”

 

Beetle stuck the phone between his head and shoulder and continued to stitch up Booster’s arm. “Hello?”

 

Booster watched the phone call with a detached interest and wondered how many stitches he needed. 

 

“OH!” Beetle yelped, dropping Booster’s arm. 

 

“Hey!” Booster protested. Beetle fumbled with the phone and held it up again, ignoring Booster. 

 

“Um, hi, yeah! That would be great! Um. Ha! It’s great to hear from you,” he talked into the phone, grinning from ear to ear. “Bye.”

 

“Who was that?” Booster asked, cradling his injured arm. 

 

“HA!” Ted yelled, pointing at Booster.  “She called!” 

 

“What- Oh!” Booster exclaimed. “I-oh. Wonder Woman?” he asked, feeling his heart sinking as he said it. Of course Wonder Woman was smart enough to realize that Beetle wasn’t just some class clown. There it was again, that horrible feeling of jealousy he hated. 

 

“And you said she wouldn’t call,” Beetle said smugly. “We’re going out tomorrow, at this place in Metropolis she likes.”

 

“Have fun,” Booster said. “Hey, don’t forget about my arm!”

  
  
  


And that was  _ not _ that. According to Ted, it had gone great. And then they went on a few more dates, and a few more.  Diana, as she insisted they all call her, had taken to dropping by the New York headquarters to see Beetle frequently after that. Beetle was smitten with her and was always in a good mood. She’d even helped the League out a few times and was considering joining full time. Her presence was welcome to offset Guy’s temper, especially with Batman rarely around anymore. She brought a sense of credibility as well. 

 

Booster couldn’t say he hated it; he couldn’t hate Diana if he tried. She was always nice and was one hell of a powerhouse in a fight. She made Ted happy. So Booster made friends with Diana and laughed at her jokes and teased her about Ted. Ted was never gonna love him back anyways. Besides, if he ended up with someone, better off being with Wonder Woman, right?

  
  
  


Booster spun around one one of the chairs in the Bug, enjoying its squeaky noise. This was the only chair in the Bug that squeaked and he knew Ted hated it. Booster spun around again. 

 

“Will you stop that?” Ted grumbled, annoyed. 

 

Booster grinned and stuck his tongue out. “Make me,” he challenged. Ted rolled his eyes. 

 

“Whatever. Do you think I should wear the blue tie or the brown tie tonight?”   
  
“Blue suits you. What’s tonight?” Booster answered, spinning in the chair again. 

 

Ted leaned back in his (non-squeaky) chair and grinned. “I’ve got another date with Diana.” 

 

Booster kicked the chair. “Another one of those? What, she’s not tired of you yet?” he teased, spinning around again with a little more force.

 

“Ha ha, very funny- cut that squeaking out!” Beetle responded. 

 

Booster stopped the spinning chair with his foot on the ground and swung his feet back and forth, hitting the chair repeatedly. “So, did you sleep with her yet?” he asked. He regretted the words as soon as he said them. He did not want to hear about their sex life, at all. But a part of him was still so very jealous and needed to know. It burned a hole in his heart and crawled up his throat, tasting like acid. 

 

“Ha,” Ted said halfheartedly, “Would you believe me if I told you I wanted to take it slow?” 

 

Booster stopped kicking the chair and gripped the seat with clenched hands. “Yeah?”   
  
“I dunno. I really like Diana. I want to be like, you know, a gentleman. Take her out on nice dates, meet her parents… Do you think Queen Hippolyta is that scary? I think she would be, but it would be worth it.” Ted continued, sighing and reclining back on his chair. He looked to the sky outside the Bug. “I wanna go the whole nine yards with Diana. She’s.. Well, she’s wonderful!”

 

Booster’s throat was dry as he watched Ted speak about Diana. His mask was pulled down around his neck and Booster could see the light in his eyes when he talked about her. He had a dreamy smile on his face and he looked utterly content. Booster ran his eyes over every line on his face, every curl his hair took. 

 

“Yeah, can’t argue with that,” he said, letting a little bitterness creep into his tone, “She’s pretty wonderful.”

 

Ted sat up, facing Booster again. “So? Blue tie or brown tie?”

 

Booster shrugged. “Whatever. You’re probably not going to last anyways. I thought she was with Superman before you. You don’t think she’ll go back to him?” he said, all the acrid bitterness he’d kept inside flowing out. 

 

Then he saw Ted’s face. His eyes were wide, his jaw slack. And the look of heartbreak on his face absolutely twisted Booster’s heart in regret. 

 

“Ted, I’m sorry,” he said, cursing his tongue, “I didn’t mean it-” 

 

“Why would you say something like that? Why can’t you just be happy for me?” Ted shouted, trembling. 

 

“No, I take it back, I don’t know why I-” Booster pleaded.

 

“Do you really think she would?” Ted asked, all anger flowing out of him and lapsing into something like a tired fear. 

 

“No! No, of course not. Look, I- I don’t know why I said those things. I’m so sorry. Please don’t believe them. Diana is lucky to have you.” Booster said, desperate to counteract what he had said.

 

“But… Superman,” Ted said.

 

“I’d take you over Superman in a heartbeat,” Booster promised, “And I know Diana would, too.”

 

“I… thanks. It’s getting late; I should be going.” Ted said, rising. Booster watched him leave, hating himself. The last thing he’d wanted was to say those things, and yet he still did. All because of that stupid jealousy that wouldn’t leave him alone, that ate at his heart underneath the star on his chest. 

 

“Blue!” Booster called, right before Ted left. Ted looked back, confused. “You should wear the blue tie. It… your eyes.” 

 

Ted gave him a tiny smile before he left. It was something. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The snow was falling quietly on the other side of the glass. Booster watched the flakes tumble and swirl across the sky and finally land with their kin on the ground. Inside, there was laughter and revelry. It was Barda’s birthday party and her and Scott had invited the League and some friends over to celebrate. They had ordered pizza, providing a splurge for some of the heroes who kept stricter diets. It was warm and their home smelled like winter spices. Booster watched the snow some more.

 

“Getting tired of the party?” a familiar voice asked. Tora walked over to him. “I like to watch the snow as well,” she confessed, “It reminds me of home.”

 

Booster’s lips quirked upwards. “I’d imagine so.”

 

“What about you?”

  
  


When he’d first arrived, he’d arrived alone. Usually he caught a ride with Ted to these things, but he was bringing Diana as his date and it didn’t feel right to ask. The snow had been falling a lot lighter than it was now and he’d almost been the last one there. The first thing he’d seen when he walked in the door was Ted’s arm around Diana’s waist. Really? Matching sweaters? 

 

Diana had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and was almost unrecognizable in her civilian clothes. They were talking to Scott and Barda and they looked as if they belonged. Booster headed to the kitchen. Food was his friend. Even if his waistline said it wasn’t.

 

Then he was going for another slice of pizza at the same time as Diana and he knew it was already his third and Diana hadn’t had any and it was the last one in that box and he should let her have it but then there was that jealous feeling again and it just felt so good to take the pizza right as she went for it. Diana seemed a little confused, but just opened the next box. 

 

And then he was talking to Ted like he always did and they always did and things started feeling right again and then Diana walked up and oh no, it was coming up again. He just wanted something normal again and something she couldn’t have, and then he was talking over her every time she made conversation and Ted was looking at him like he wasn’t sure what he was seeing but he was disappointed and it made him feel  _ horrible _ but he just couldn’t stop so he just stopped talking altogether and stepped away. 

 

So now he was in the farthest corner of the house, watching the snow fall. 

 

“Just like you, I guess. I like to watch the snow, too.” he said to Tora. 

 

“Ted’s looking for you,” she said, “He doesn’t seem very happy.”

 

Booster sighed. “No, he wouldn’t. And I deserve it, too.”

 

He followed Tora into the living room and faced Ted. 

 

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Ted asked. Booster knew that face. He was mad, but trying to hide it, and it never worked. 

 

“Sure,” Booster said, swallowing the lump in his throat. His eyes moved past Ted and saw Diana across the room, sneaking glances back at them. Her blue eyes were concerned, not angry. And Booster felt even worse.

 

Ted went outside and Booster followed him, into the cold and on the other side of the glass. 

 

“Why do you hate Diana?!” Ted yelled as soon as they were in the Frees’ front yard. Booster flinched. “I don’t get it. You seemed fine with her before, but now? What changed?”   
  
“I don’t hate her,” Booster protested. 

 

“I get the distinct feeling that you do,” Ted said, unimpressed. He folded his arms. Neither of them had remembered to get coats before they’d gone outside, and the wind was cold.

 

“I don’t! I don’t hate her! Diana is a wonderful woman. She’s perfect for you, Ted, and I’m sorry if I made you think that I felt otherwise,” Booster ground out.

 

“There’s got to be some reason,” Ted pressed, “What if… no… are you jealous?” he asked. 

 

“I’M NOT JEALOUS OF HER!” Booster exploded. He stopped.  _ Oh no… _

 

“You’re not jealous… ‘of her?’” Ted asked slowly.  _ Oh no no no no no…. _

 

“Booster… do you have feelings for me?” Ted asked.    
  
This was it, this was how he lost him. Everything was over. “Drop it,” Booster snapped, staring at the snow beneath his feet. He waited for some sort of reply, some sort of outrage, but all that came was silence. He dared a glance upwards. Ted was staring at him, slack jawed, ignoring the wind and snow.

 

“Listen, we can forget all about this,” Booster hedged, hoping to maybe salvage this. Ted didn’t reply, just stared at him with wide eyes. He waited, hopeful and nervous. Nothing. Booster sighed. It was best he left, then. He started towards the house to grab his coat. 

 

“Wait!” Ted called, as if shaken out of a trance. Booster shook his head and kept going. He suddenly decided he didn’t want to hear this. Something grabbed his arm. He looked behind him; Ted, with wide, desperate eyes and cold-tinted cheeks. 

 

“You don’t have to be a dickwad about it!” Booster yelled, pulling his arm free. Ted grabbed his arm again and this time Booster didn’t have a chance to yell because Ted pulled him close and kissed him with the fury of a thousand suns. Booster’s mind was a show of fireworks as his best friend kissed him passionately on a suburban lawn. It felt like coming home; Ted still smelled like the spices of the house and his face was cold from the snow. It was clumsy, desperate, perfect. 

 

They broke apart, gasping in the cold winter wind. Ted’s face was wide, shocked. Booster felt his stomach drop as he remembered that Ted was dating Diana. 

 

“What about Diana?” he asked, reluctantly taking a step back. 

Ted shrugged. “I… She’s been very kind, but it’s you I’ve been in love with all these years.” he confessed. 

 

“Years?” Booster asked in a small voice.

 

Ted looked away, down. The cold December wind numbed Booster’s fingers and toes, but he couldn’t feel it in his core, could only feel a warmth and a hope. “It’s been… years.”

 

“Me too,” Booster supplied, holding Ted’s freezing fingers. 

 

Ted laughed, looking up at him again. There they were, the eyes Booster had fallen in love with. “We’re just a couple of idiots, aren’t we?”

 

Booster chuckled. “Yeah, yeah we are.”   
  


“Are you two okay?! It’s cold out here!” someone yelled, opening the door of the house. Diana held open the door and called out to them.

 

“Tomorrow. I don’t want to ruin this party,” Ted whispered, releasing Booster’s hands. “Coming!” he called to Diana. The two of them trudged inside and Booster realized how cold it had been out there when he stepped inside. 

 

“What did he want to talk to you about?” Tora asked.    
  
Booster shrugged. “It was nothing.” 

  
  
  
  


Things hadn’t gone bad with Diana at all; they’d actually worked out perfectly. Booster had been worried, worried that Ted was having second thoughts about them. When he had returned from the meeting with Diana, Booster had been on edge and thinking about just forgetting it. What if the kiss was a mistake? What if he wasn’t actually in love with him and it was just a momentary lapse in judgement?

 

When Ted had shown up on his doorstep, Booster almost didn’t open the door. He was glad he did though, because Ted had a wide smile on his face and stepped into his arms. The kiss was lazy and warm, like drinking coffee on a cold day. 

 

Apparently, Diana was going to break up with Ted anyways. They both had something to say and Diana insisted on going first. She explained that she wanted to break up because she’s still stuck on Steve Trevor and that she hopes they can stay friends because she really does value his company. Kal (Superman) had told her that she should get out and start dating again, so she decided to give Ted a chance. She enjoyed spending time with him, but couldn’t fall in love. She was worried about how he was going to take this, but Ted told her he was going to break up with her as well because he was in love with Booster. It was the same thing; he wanted to forget about Booster with Diana, but couldn’t fall in love. They just valued each other as friends. It was an amicable break up and they agreed to still meet up every now and then as friends.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The JLI had noticed the  break up, it seemed. “Did Wonder Woman finally dump you?” Guy Gardner asked with a smirk. 

 

“Actually, it was a mutual break up,” Beetle answered. 

 

“Ha! That just means she dumped you.” Guy said. 

 

“Hey,” Booster said, coming back from a mission. He gave Ted a quick kiss on the cheek. “Can’t talk, gotta go.”   
  
As he left, he heard Guy exclaim, “You dumped Wonder Woman for Booster Gold?!” 

 

Ted cast a look back at Booster fondly. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

**Author's Note:**

> i feel like that was kinda ooc but oh well. anyways hope that filled the void for a bit also as this is posted around That Time, good luck to anyone who has finals soon...  
> oh yeah my dc blog is @/bluestergold but im Bad at usernames so idk might change it


End file.
